SHEARING PARAMOUNT TO PARASITE CONTROL
Data from a recent survey carried out by Elanco suggests early shearing and treatment will help lower blowfly numbers and cases in sheep this spring and summer. 70 percent of farms surveyed had seen blowfly cases pre-shearing suggesting that shearing could be brought forward for many and that if farms were shearing later, that a pre-treatment would be beneficial.
“The season for blowfly strike has elongated in recent years, with emergence starting as early as March and extending through to October and even November. This presents the need to use a treatment such as CLiKZiN before shearing to protect ewes for up to eight weeks. Following shearing, an application of CLiK Extra is then advised to provide up to a further 19 weeks of protection,” says Elanco’s Carolyn Hogan.
The survey of 360 farms also found that both the level and timing of parasite burdens is changing. 87 percent of farmers agreed that changing weather conditions were impacting blowfly risk, with 21 percent applying preventative treatments ahead of shearing. These findings are consistent with an earlier survey in which 82 percent of farmers said the blowfly season is getting longer.
“Last year’s rapid temperature increases delivered a harsh warning about the speed at which blowfly numbers can rise. This makes waiting until ewes are sheared an increasingly risky option, especially in the south of the UK. Already in April, the new SCOPS Blowfly Emergence Forecast shows many regions hitting its ‘red’ category, meaning that blowflies have emerged or are emerging, and therefore that sheep are at risk of strike“ she says.
The new SCOPS online forecast shows four levels of blowfly emergence, from grey, when blowfly occurrences are rare, to red, when flies are emerging. In response to this forecast threat, experienced sheep shearer and Heiniger national sales manager, Hefin Rowlands believes that farms can help control blowfly numbers and protect sheep by thinking fleece first.
“Wool values are increasing and animal health is always of paramount importance. Therefore, shearing early is likely to benefit most farms. However, for those looking to see the highest value for their flock’s fleeces, shearing later will require a level of protection to ensure blowflies are kept to a minimum,” he says.
He also emphasises the importance of achieving a clean, close shear. This not only helps produce a high-quality fleece but also ensures the wool is short enough for effective application of an IGR treatment straight off shears.
“This is why using quality shearing equipment is so important. It allows both professional shearers and farmers to achieve the best possible results. It’s also advantageous to have an option of a battery-powered machine like the Heiniger Xcell. These are particularly useful for smaller jobs and tasks like dagging dirty ewes and lambs to further prevent blowfly issues,” he explains.
He further suggests that shearing is beneficial to lambs as well as ewes and can improve growth rate by encouraging higher dry matter intake.
“Shearing when lambs are below 35 kilos can increase growth rates by around 20 grams per head per day, which will have a significant benefit to overall dead/live weight gain,” he says.
The message from the survey is that blowfly strike is becoming a greater burden for many farms and both Hefin and Carolyn agree that prevention is better than cure.
“Animal health is always going to be the priority for stock farmers, and using a combination of practical and pharmaceutical methods to reduce the threat of parasites like blowfly is a responsible option that will not only benefit one farm’s flock, but will help to reduce numbers throughout the UK,” concludes Carolyn.